TUCSON, Ariz. – Concordia-St. Paul used a six-run second inning to earn a 7-2 non-conference victory over Southwest Minnesota State in college baseball at the Tucson Invitational played at the Kino Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

SMSU (2-4) out-hit CSP 11-10, but couldn’t come through with the big hit as the Mustangs left 15 runners on base. SMSU left two runners on base in both the first and second inning and left the bases loaded to end the third.

Following a scoreless first inning, CSP (2-1) put together seven hits and used a pair of SMSU errors to score six runs and end the game for SMSU starting pitcher Wes Sarsland, who was making his first career start.

Four Mustang relief pitchers combined to limit CSP to one run on four hits over the final seven innings, including retiring the final 13 batters faced.

Trailing 7-0 in the seventh, SMSU finally broke through behind an RBI double by Connor Johnson and an RBI single by Spencer Rudnik.

Rudnik, Spencer Franko and Ben Heichel all finished with a pair of hits to pace the Mustang offense.

Sarsland (0-1) pitched one-plus inning and allowed six runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout.

CSP starter Louie Varland pitched six shutout innings to record the win scattering six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Southwest Minnesota State will have Thursday off before returning to the field on Friday to face Briar Cliff University in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications